ALS is a devastating disease leading to the death of patients in 2-5 years from the time of diagnosis. Despite tremendous efforts to halt the progression of the disease, Riluzole is the only drug on the market which prolongs the survival of patients by only 2-3 months. Finding a drug that would halt the disease depends on understanding the mechanisms underlying the disease but also on efforts to translate findings in basic research into the clinic. The ALS Association is organizing a three day workshop entitled "Accelerating ALS Research: Translating Basic Discoveries into Therapies for ALS" in Tampa, Florida, January 13- 16, 2008. The main goal is to identify key barriers and enablers for translating findings in basic research into the clinic for ALS. Experts in ALS research and leaders in drug discovery for other diseases will share their experience and knowledge in order to identify and overcome challenges to ALS translational research. This workshop also provides an opportunity for scientists at a very early stage in their career to have a global vision on drug development and to learn how basic research can be translated into a marketable drug. The workshop agenda selected by the steering committee members from academia, industry, NINDS and The ALS association, is designed to provide an overview of ALS research and ALS targets for drug development. ALS experts will present the current status of ALS research and strategies that are being used for drug development in ALS. Experts from industry will share information on the various strategies used for drug development in other disease areas. Recognizing that the most significant hurdle to successful development of drugs for diseases such as ALS is the ability to translate important findings in academia to the clinic, the meeting will conclude with a focused day to discuss these barriers and look at successes and failures in ALS and other diseases to provide future directions to move drug discovery forward. This is the first time a workshop on translational ALS research focused on drug development for ALS is being organized. The workshop aims to stimulate group discussions and interactions, to identify opportunities and future directions for ALS drug discovery. The relatively small size of the workshop (around 85 participants) and the balance between ALS experts and leaders from industry are designed to create a stimulating and interactive environment for scientists to share new ideas and concepts and to bridge the gap between basic research and drug development. A post-meeting report will be published in a peer- reviewed scientific journal to share workshop outcomes with the entire ALS community. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of the workshop is to identify key barriers and enablers for translating findings in basic research into the clinic for ALS. It is an opportunity for ALS experts and leaders in drug development to share their findings and discuss the future directions and opportunities for ALS drug discovery. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]